AdventHealth Central Florida hospitals were moved "red" status on Monday, filled with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, Medical Director Dr. Victor Herrera said.
This highest level of caution means that elective outpatient surgeries may be deferred.
The Central Florida Division covers Polk, Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Volusia and Flagler counties.
There are some 862 COVID-19 patients at AdventHealth Central Florida hospitals, near the peak of 900 patients in January.
Herrera said the Intensive Care Unit is full with mostly with patients who have not been vaccinated for the coronavirus.
“A common theme that we hear from patients that are in the hospital, get very sick and need to go to the ICU, and one that I had heard from a patient which is right before he was about to be intubated, ‘I wish I had received the vaccine,’ ” Herrera said.
A disturbing trend is the number of pregnant patients intubated in ICU beds, he said.
“This is a reminder to our community and pregnant women to consider the COVID-19 vaccine and to have that conversation with their doctors," he said. "We don’t know yet if this is related to the delta variant, but clearly there is a higher number of pregnant women very sick with COVID-19 right now compared to before.”
Herrera said it is safe for mother and infant to receive any of the three COVID vaccines.
This 'red' status means medical leadership must give pre-approval for any non-time-sensitive procedures. Outpatient surgery sites can continue as scheduled. Pediatric surgeries can continue without limitation.
